Howl
by DandelionSunset
Summary: Katniss and Peeta were friends on their way to becoming more, but due to a sudden calamity in the woods, they become separated for 14 years - each believing the other is dead. After surviving with a pack of wolves and living off the land for over half her life, semi-feral Katniss is abruptly 'rescued' and eventually brought to live with a very reluctant and hermitic Peeta Mellark.


So this plot bunny has been hopping around in my mind for _months_, and I thought it was about time I finally freed it. This story will be multi-chapter Modern AU and will progress through alternating POV of Katniss and Peeta. The idea was inspired by 'Howl' by Florence and the Machine, and also 'Lone' and 'Feral Love' by Chelsea Wolfe. All great songs, so check them out if you feel inclined. Big thanks to Mejhiren for prereading and all her lovely encouragement. :) Also, the cover art used is 'Wolfmoon' by Andrea Hrnjak.

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**Prologue**

Thunder cracked like a whip and rumbled overhead, causing the ground to vibrate beneath his feet and a dull hum to ring in his ears. Birds chirped and chattered in panic, flapping their wings furiously as they moved from tree to tree seeking shelter. The rest of the forest was eerily silent, however, save for the sound of muted footfalls upon the damp earth. Peeta glanced up at the sky, but due to the dense shroud of foliage he couldn't see a single patch of it. Indeed, the only gray he could see lay within the two glinting, piercing orbs before him.

"M-maybe we should turn back," he stammered. "Sounds like it's about to storm. You can always show me another time."

"We're in a _rain_forest, Peeta. Of course it's gonna rain a bit," Katniss assured dismissively, her hands planted firmly on her hips. She surveyed the scenery around them with narrowed, calculating eyes before shrugging. "Besides, it's only a tiny thundershower. Just a little wimpy thing with a big voice. It won't hurt you."

Peeta wasn't so sure about that, but he also wanted nothing more than to please and impress the fearless girl in front of him, so his Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed his doubts and stepped forward with a nod.

In the whole fourteen years of his life, he could count the number of times he'd ventured into the forest on one hand – and even those few times, he'd never gone so far that he couldn't see the village behind him. His mother frequently warned him of the dangers that prowled in the murky depths - of wolves that hid behind trees and snapped up unsuspecting little boys to eat them alive, of giant beastlike birds that swooped with precision, hooked you with razor-sharp talons, and left you stranded at the top of the tallest trees to starve, of serpents the size of houses that swallowed you in a gulp but not before crushing every bone in your body, and of raging, instant rivers that rolled down from the mountains and swept you out to the middle of the sea.

None of those supposed perils could hold a flame to his mother's wrath if she found out where he was, why he was here, and who he was with, however.

It was a little past noon, but the darkness seemed to grow stronger with each step he took. In every direction, he only saw a permeating wall of trees and shrubs and wisps of ghostlike fog. No matter how much he squinted and strained his eyes, he could see no more than twenty feet in front of himself. Sweat drenched his blond curls, causing them to stick unpleasantly to his forehead and neck, and his shirt was thoroughly soaked from the humidity. He almost wished it _would_ rain, just for some relief.

A clap of thunder suddenly boomed again, even louder than before.

Peeta sucked in a deep breath and held it, trying to calm his rapid heartbeat and trembling hands. In his head was a mantra of what Katniss had stated earlier: _it's just a little wimpy thing with a big voice, it's just a little wimpy thing with a big voice, it's just a little wimpy thing with a big voice…. _

He trusted she knew what she was talking about.

For the last year and a half of their friendship, Katniss had spoken often of her love for the woods, and he'd hinted and hoped of someday joining her on one of her excursions. Of course, it had more to do with simply spending time with her than what the excursion actually entailed. Neighbors as they were, in terms of family and heritage they were worlds apart. However, Peeta would give up everything in his world to be nothing more than a simple cloud in hers. No matter his mother's outspoken, unsavory opinion of the Everdeens and their 'hair-brained hippy beliefs' – Peeta found everything about Katniss to be absolutely captivating. She was brave and fierce, brilliant and beautiful. She was everything he wasn't, but wished he could be. He adored her completely.

Katniss kept a steady pace ahead of him, her long black braids swinging back and forth as she maintained a vigilant, silent watch of her surroundings. She seemed to know exactly where she was, as at home in these woods as any wild animal inhabiting them, and although she was small-framed and about half a foot shorter than he was, Peeta felt safer here with her than he ever could with anyone else. Then again, he'd never consider entering these woods with anyone else.

After a few more minutes, and for the third time on their trek, Katniss stopped abruptly in front of him and held up a hand. She then grinned excitedly over her shoulder and waved for him to follow her to a tree with an animal engraved into it. It looked to be a bird, outlined and carved out, but nearly faded. Peeta was surprised and impressed that she could see the small marking from a distance, especially among a multitude of identical trees.

He watched in silent reverence as she traced the carving with her index finger, then pressed her palm against it, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. She'd done this with the other two carvings—a whale and a deer—as well. She didn't explain her behavior and he didn't need her to. He knew exactly why the carvings meant so much to her, and it had little to do with them being land markers: it was because they were carved by the hands of her father. Peeta knew she'd been very close to him, and that he'd died very unexpectedly two years ago. Mr. Everdeen hadn't left his family with much, but what little he did leave behind meant the world to Katniss, and she went through painstaking efforts to preserve what she could.

"It's a raven," she explained matter-of-factly as she took the backpack from her shoulders, unzipped the front pocket, and pulled out a small hunting knife. She also retrieved a bottle of water and handed it to Peeta, which he took without hesitation and began to gulp. He watched as she began scraping away the dirt, moss, and thin layer of bark that threatened to cover up the engraving, and then etched another layer into the wood to make certain it remained that way for a while. She'd done the same with the two prior carvings.

When she was finished, she placed the backpack onto her shoulders again and turned to Peeta with a satisfied glint in her eyes and a smile that made his stomach do somersaults.

"Only one more left. It isn't too much farther." Peeta tried to look excited and happy about this, but evidently didn't do a very good job of it because she suddenly frowned at him, then reached up and pushed a lump of wet curls back from his forehead. His eyes widened at her unexpected touch, and his heart began racing for reasons completely unrelated to physical exertion. "You okay? Wanna sit down and take a small rest?"

Peeta considered this for a moment as he glanced around at the ever-darkening forest and the thick roof of leaves above. As much as he was exhausted and anxious from their trek, he knew that the sooner they got it over with, the sooner they could go home – and he desperately wanted that to happen _before _this storm hit. Besides all that, and more importantly to him, he didn't want Katniss to think he was weak or regretful for agreeing to come along with her.

"No, I'm okay," he answered with a resolute shake of his head. "I've just never been this deep in the woods before. It's a lot muggier out here than I expected." Katniss tilted her head as if carefully considering his words, and then finally nodded her agreement.

As they continued to walk, Peeta began to make small talk in order to drown out his fears.

"How do you know which way to go to find the carvings anyway?"

"I start at the big boulder behind my house, and after that I just search for the first one and keep moving forward—kind of like connect-the-dots, only in a very, very straight line. Dad spaced 40 trees between the first carvings, then 50 and 60."

"But what if more grew up between them? And what if you go off path by accident and get lost? How would you ever find your way out of here?"

Katniss pulled a small compass out of her front pocket. "I have this, of course. I also never come out here alone," she explained. "Gale would usually come along with me, but lately he's been too busy with his new job and sucking face with his new _girl_friend, but whatever. Who needs him. I can do this on my own."

She jutted her chin out as she mentioned her older friend. Gale was 17, a good 3 years older than she was. He was tall, tan, muscled, and ruggedly handsome, and all the girls at school seemingly swooned over him. Katniss didn't, but she wasn't the sort to do so. Not yet, anyway. Peeta suspected it'd only be a matter of time before she developed feelings for him if she hadn't already, and if he was being completely honest with himself, Gale suited her personality much better than he ever could.

For that fact alone, Peeta didn't like him one bit.

The idea of the two of them being alone together in the middle of the woods filled his head with all sorts of paranoid thoughts. What if he kissed her? What if she kissed him back? What if they did far more than just kiss? _What if they_ _already have_? He felt sick at the thought. In any case, he could tell by her clipped tone that it was a touchy subject, so he steered clear of furthering the discussion. Not that he really had anything to say about it anyway. He'd rather talk about anything else, anything at all, than Gale Hawthorne.

He cleared his throat and kicked at a rock.

"Well, I know you don't _need_ anyone, but I'd come out here anytime with you. Anytime you want, just say the word," Peeta eagerly stated. "I'd be more than happy to; I'd be honored."

"Good to know," Katniss replied, glancing over at him with a sudden playful grin. "At least if I ever get lost, I'll enjoy your company." Peeta searched his brain for a reply, but he couldn't seem to find words adequate enough to convey what he felt. He was beyond elated that she'd admitted to enjoying his company, but he was also filled with dread at the mere mention of getting lost out here. His inner conflict must have shown on his face because Katniss gave a short laugh and shook her head as she placed a hand on his forearm. "It was only a joke, Peeta. I promise we're not going to get lost."

"I know. I don't think I'd mind getting lost with you, though," he replied bashfully, keeping his gaze fixed intently on the ground. He was grateful his cheeks were already bright red from the heat so she couldn't see him blush. From the corner of his eye, he could see her staring at him. Perhaps what he'd said was too forward? Just as he opened his mouth to say he was only kidding, he was startled into a momentary silence by Katniss slipping her hand into his.

He gulped and took a deep breath to steady his nerves. He blinked a few times to make sure he wasn't dreaming. Then with a gentle squeeze of her hand, he asked in a near whisper, "W-what's this for?"

"Safety," she explained with a quick shrug. Peeta wondered if she noticed how badly his hand was shaking, but then he realized that her hand was shaking just as much. Katniss kept her gaze straight ahead as she explained with an uncharacteristic tremor in her voice, "The buddy system. If by an off-chance we _do _get lost, at least we'll be lost together."

Peeta chewed on his bottom lip and mulled over her words. As logical as Katniss usually was, her explanation made no sense at all. If they got lost, they'd still be lost together regardless if they were holding hands. Holding hands had _nothing_ at all to do with safety. For a brief moment, Peeta considered that maybe she was as frightened of the approaching storm as he was—but then that made no sense, either. He then considered something that he never thought could be a possibility. But as impossible as it might be, it made the most sense.

There was only one way to know for sure….

He nodded, gathered every ounce of bravery he could muster, and then laced his fingers with hers.

"For _added_ safety," he said, caressing his thumb over the top of her hand.

When Katniss squeezed his hand in return, moved slightly closer to his side, and smiled shyly up at him before quickly cutting her eyes away, he knew he'd made the right decision. He still couldn't believe it, though. As much as he adored her, he'd spent so much time convincing himself that she could never feel the same that he never imagined that she _could_. Maybe she didn't, though. Maybe he was reading into this all wrong. Maybe she was simply being friendly.

Thunder rumbled again, but this time Peeta didn't care. Suddenly, the threat of raging storms and perilous monsters didn't faze him one bit. He felt invincible. He felt euphoric. All he could focus on, and all that mattered to him, was how perfectly Katniss' hand fit within his. The feeling of their fingers entwined so intimately together was the most thrilling and beautiful thing he'd ever felt in his life. He already felt the loss of eventually having to let go.

He never wanted to leave these woods.

Far too soon, however, she released his hand and rushed forward to the fourth and final engraving. He stared at her in dazed silence, his heart pounding and his mind racing, as she took out the knife and chiseled away the top layer of what was unmistakably a howling wolf.

When she was done, she grabbed his hand again and began leading him forward.

"It's right up here," she informed.

He felt relief wash over him upon seeing the pitch-black mouth of a cave in the distance, for this was the final destination of their journey. As they approached the small clearing before it, he realized he could finally see the sky again. He immediately wished he couldn't. It was completely covered by ominous dark gray clouds and looked ready to burst violently at any moment. A few seconds later, it did. Lightning crashed so bright and close that for a moment Peeta thought he'd been hit. Instead, it struck the top of a tree less than 20 yards away from them, ripping the trunk in half and setting the few limbs that still remained ablaze.

This was _definitely_ not a wimpy little thundershower.

Peeta glanced wide-eyed at Katniss, and immediately felt his terror turn to panic when he saw that she looked just as frightened as he did. Without a word exchanged but with their hands still linked, they ran as fast as they could to the cave and reached it just in time. As soon as they entered, it began to downpour so hard Peeta doubted he could even seen his hand an inch or two in front of his face.

Their breathing came in ragged, heavy gasps for a while as they sat against the cold rock wall. At first, Peeta could see nothing but black in front of him, but as he focused his eyes on the heavy curtain of rain outside the mouth of the cave, his eyesight slowly adjusted to the darkness around him. The inside of the cave was larger than he'd expected, and when he spotted another pitch-black hole in the rear wall, he assumed it went even further back. He desperately hoped that Katniss wouldn't make him go beyond this point, though. He'd had quite enough adventure for today—in fact, enough to last an entire lifetime.

He was suddenly very aware of Katniss' hand still clinging to his. He gave it a gentle squeeze, and she squeezed back. They were both still trembling, so Peeta held her hand in between his and began rubbing his thumb against the middle of her palm. He wasn't sure exactly how this would help, really, but she didn't stop him or say anything so he continued to do it.

After a few minutes, their breathing mostly returned to normal and all they could hear was the rain pummeling the ground and echoing off the cave walls.

"I guess we're staying here until the storm passes?"

Peeta knew the answer was extremely obvious, but he felt the need to break the silence that had fallen between them.

Katniss nodded and gave a heavy, wistful sigh.

"I'm sorry, Peeta. I guess I should've listened to you earlier about going back. I really didn't think it was going to be _this_ bad, though." Her voice shook with remorse, and he could've sworn he heard her sniffle. Katniss was the bravest person he knew. She was always so courageous and strong-willed that he was a bit taken aback at how vulnerable and defeated she suddenly sounded.

"Meh, this ain't nothing but a wimpy little thundershower," Peeta mimicked playfully and nudged her shoulder lightly with his. He was still wary of the storm, of course, but he also hated the thought of Katniss being so disheartened. She nudged his shoulder in return and stuck her tongue out at him, making him laugh.

"Well, I doubt it'll last much longer anyways," she stated, her voice slightly more optimistic.

"Hopefully. Dad works late tonight at the bakery and Mom's at a church meeting till around 7. We should have plenty of time to make it back before they even notice I'm gone. What about your mom?"

"What about her?"

"Won't she get worried if you're out for too long?"

"No."

With that, they fell silent again.

Peeta closed his eyes and took a deep breath to calm his racing heart. Despite the storm raging outside, he could hardly believe his luck. Here he was, sitting shoulder-to-shoulder in a cave with a girl he'd been in love with nearly his whole life. Not only that, but she was still holding onto his hand. He almost wished the storm would last forever, just so this moment would never end.

"Thank you, Peeta… for coming out here with me," Katniss whispered after a moment. "Not many would."

"Like I said before, _anytime_," Peeta replied confidently. A second later, thunder boomed so loudly it sounded like a bomb detonating. He jumped and gave a small yelp, causing Katniss to stifle a giggle. With a cringe, he added quickly, "Um, just… maybe not when it's about to storm like this."

She grinned at him and let go of his hand.

His disappointment turned to dread as she abruptly stood up and walked to the dark hole in the back of the cave. He hoped that she wouldn't ask him to follow her because it'd be impossible for him to say no. Luckily, she only kneeled inside long enough to grab something before turning back to him with an air of excitement.

"This is what I wanted to show you!"

She practically skipped forward and then kneeled down in front of him. She delicately handed him a bow and a leather sheath with four arrows in it. Due to the fact that the arrow tips were made of sharpened rocks and the shaft of the bow and arrows was whittled out of branches, he assumed that it was all handmade. His assumption was confirmed by Katniss only a moment later.

"My dad made it. He taught me how to shoot it, too, but obviously I can't show you right now. Maybe when the rain stops, though. You can shoot a few arrows, too, if you'd like."

"I've never used a bow before," Peeta whispered as he curiously inspected an arrow. All he could think of was how his mother would throw a fit if she knew what he was holding in his hand. Then again, it wouldn't be the _only _thing he'd held in his hand today that she'd be angry about.

"It isn't very hard. I can show you how," Katniss offered brightly.

"I'd like that," Peeta replied with a nod. As she scooted back beside him, his mind began to drift. "Could you imagine actually getting lost and having to live out here?"

She shrugged as she returned the arrows to the sheath beside her, and then grabbed his hand again.

"It wouldn't be so bad. I'd hunt all our food, and make clothes and covers from fur, and you could gather berries and decorate the cave walls with your pretty paintings." From her tone, it seemed like she'd already considered it. However, what really surprised Peeta was that Katniss had thoughtfully included him in this hypothetical scenario.

"What would I paint with, though?"

"Plant dye and mud," Katniss quickly answered. "Dad used to make nature paint all the time. He was a wonderful artist, like you are. He had a knack for creating beautiful things out of nothing." Her voice became soft and distant as she leaned her head lightly against his shoulder and turned his hand over in her lap to trace the lines of his palm. "Every time he'd go to the woods, he'd return with a new piece of jewelry for my mom. Rings, bracelets, earrings, and necklaces made of gems and crystals and carved wood and animal bones. She has a whole drawer full, but she never wears any of it anymore…."

Katniss placed her palm on top of his, as if comparing the sizes of their hands, and fell silent. She seemed lost in her thoughts. Peeta noticed she usually always got a sad, far-away look on her face when she spoke of her mom, especially when it involved her dad.

"Someday I'd like to make you _dressers_ full of jewelry," Peeta earnestly stated without thinking. He meant it, though, and at the moment he really wanted to cheer her up. He lightly nudged her shoulder and leaned closer to her ear. "All I'd ask is that you sing for me and make all the birds in the forest jealous."

"I doubt the birds would care at all." She gave a small laugh and added as an afterthought, "Might make your girlfriend jealous, though."

"_What _girlfriend? You know I don't have one." Peeta gave her a suspicious, sideways look. Was she making fun of him? Sure, he'd gotten used to it from kids at school, even his own brothers had taken to calling him names like 'Butter Rolls' and 'Dough Boy' due to his slight chubbiness, but he never expected Katniss to join in on teasing him. At least, she never had before.

"Maybe not right _now_, but you will. I'm sure you'll have all the girls lining up for a chance to date you. I'm surprised you don't already."

Peeta stared at her, trying to decipher whether or not she was being sarcastic. He couldn't tell, though, as Katniss kept her face slightly turned away from him. Her tone didn't seem to be a teasing one, but it wasn't a happy one either. In fact, it sounded rather dismal.

Great, he was apparently such a loser that she felt sorry for him and was trying to make him feel better.

"I highly doubt that, but thanks," he muttered dully.

She turned her head sharply and gave him a hard look as if he'd insulted her.

"What's to doubt? You're really nice and talented and smart, and, well… you're not bad looking, either. I-I like your curls. And your eyes. And I'm sure lots of _other _girls do, too," Katniss asserted in a rush. She then pursed her lips and quickly cut her eyes away again. Peeta was at a loss of what to say. He found himself very confused. She seemed angry with him, but then why would she compliment him? He didn't know whether to thank her or apologize or point out all the things he liked about her too. Before he could think of a reply, she sighed heavily, rubbed her eyes, and asked in a lighter tone, "So how do you even know I can sing anyways?"

"Because I've heard you before."

"When?"

"At school. On the first day of kindergarten. You sang the Valley Song and it was the most beautiful thing I ever heard in my life. It still is and it always will be. At least, until I have the pleasure of hearing you sing again."

Peeta couldn't help smiling at the memory. He remembered everything about that day vividly: his eager excitement about starting school, how the classroom smelled like books and chalk and hope, the way the sun kept peeking out through rainclouds, and the way the birds sang cheerfully on a brick wall outside the window. All of that dimmed in comparison to Katniss, though. She'd volunteered to stand on a stool in front of the entire class to sing an old folk song—one he'd known and heard for years, but never cared much about. When the lyrics came from Katniss, however, it immediately became his favorite song.

And she became his favorite girl.

At 5-years-old, she had the voice of an angel. Now, he reckoned, she probably had the voice of a goddess.

She didn't say anything for a moment, and Peeta feared he might've overstepped the boundaries of their friendship. He was about to change the subject—to what, he didn't know—but then Katniss did something that took him by complete surprise. She brought his hand up to her mouth and planted a soft, lingering kiss upon his knuckles. Peeta's eyes widened and his mouth parted slightly. He suddenly forgot how to breathe. Why did she do that? What did it _mean_?

Actually, he had a pretty good idea what it meant, and if he was right he'd be more than overjoyed.

But… what if he was wrong? He'd be crushed.

She tilted her head and looked up at him with a timid smile curving her lips. Peeta wanted to say something, _anything_, but his voice didn't seem to want to to work. His heart was beating so loudly in his ears that it drowned out the rain, and he was sure Katniss could hear it, too. He certainly didn't plan on what happened next, he simply felt compelled to do it; he leaned down and kissed her on the mouth.

She gasped at the unexpected contact and Peeta began to pull away in panic a second after he realized what he'd done. Katniss took him by surprise again, however, by placing her hand on the back of his head and leaning up to close the space between their lips once more.

It didn't involve tongues or moans or roaming hands. In fact, it was only a dry, clumsy peck that lasted a few seconds. To Peeta, though, it was magical. It was breathtaking. He'd just shared his first ever kiss with the girl of his dreams, and to him, everything about it was absolutely perfect.

After they parted, Katniss shakily admitted, "That was my first kiss."

Her eyes were narrowed and she was breathing rather heavily. For a moment, Peeta thought she was angry or that she might cry. He wouldn't blame her if she did. He could understand her regret and disappointment – after all, what girl would actually _want_ to have her first kiss with him? Especially a girl as beautiful and wonderful as Katniss? She probably wished her first kiss had been with Gale Hawthorne.

Peeta looked away and suddenly felt like crying himself. Why did he _do_ that? Now he probably ruined their friendship.

"Mine too," he mumbled dejectedly. "Look, I'm sorry if—"

"Well, _I'm_ not. I'm not sorry even a little bit," she stated strongly, cutting him off.

"Really?" Peeta asked in a startled whisper.

"Yeah. It was… nice." She traced her bottom lip with her index finger and smiled. "You have really soft lips."

He suddenly wanted to kiss her again and again. He wanted to kiss her lips and her cheeks and her hands and every other inch of her body. He wanted to wrap his arms around her shoulders and hold her close. He wanted to know what it'd feel like to run his hands through her unbraided hair. He wanted to hold her hand anytime he wanted, to feel the beauty of her fingers laced between his forever.

"Can I ask you a question, and will you promise not to laugh at me when I do?"

"Yeah?"

She dropped her hand and gazed up at him curiously. Peeta suddenly couldn't seem to look at her. If she rejected him, he didn't want to have the painful memory of what it looked like when she did it. Butterflies swarmed in his stomach as he worked up all his nerve. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Then he let the words tumble out of his mouth before he had a chance to convince himself not to say them.

"C-can I be your boyfriend?" he whispered. "Please?"

He bit his lip and slowly opened his eyes to look at her.

Katniss sucked in a breath and seemed startled by his question. She hesitated before finally replying in a trembling murmur, "Your mom doesn't like me at all, Peeta. She'd _kill_ you—"

He didn't bother to deny this. If his mother found out, she wasn't likely to take it well. At the very least, he could expect a few bruises. He really didn't care at the moment, though. The bruises would fade and the broken bones would heal, just as they had before. And if he died, well, at least he'd already had a taste of what Heaven was like.

He simply shrugged and smiled at her. "Some people are worth dying for."

"I don't really know _how_ to be a girlfriend, though."

"Perfect. I don't know how to be a boyfriend. We can learn together."

"Well… okay. I guess so," Katniss relented, though she still looked a bit conflicted. "Maybe we shouldn't tell anyone for a while, though. I don't want you getting hurt because of me."

Peeta opened his mouth to reply, but then something caught his eye. He squinted at the pitch-black hole at the back of the cave. He could've sworn he just saw something move.

"What was that…?" he whispered in alarm and began to inch backwards toward the entrance.

Katniss glanced behind her, then shrugged and turned back to him with an eyebrow raised. "What? I don't see anything."

There it was again!

This time he was _positive_ he saw something. It wasn't just his imagination; they definitely weren't alone in this cave. He suddenly felt paralyzed with fear. He gulped and stared on with wide-eyed horror, waiting for something terrible to make an appearance.

He heard claws against rock, and then he finally saw it….

And when he did, he began to laugh.

"Aww! Look, Katniss. It's a little baby bear!" Peeta grinned brightly and began beckoning it closer with his hand. The little bear tilted its head curiously at him, then toddled forward and stopped at his feet. "Look how tiny it is, like a little brown teddy—"

"Peeta, we _need_ to go_." _Katniss' voice was low and grave as she stood up slowly and moved toward the cave entrance. "_Now_."

"But it's still storming," he replied dismissively, gesturing at the rain still falling heavily outside. He then turned back to the cub, which was now on its back, pawing and nibbling playfully at his shoe. Peeta laughed and rubbed the top of its head. "It's just a little cub, Katniss. I don't think it'll hurt us. He's just a curious little fella."

"It's not the _cub_ I'm worried about—"

He didn't get to hear the rest of her sentence because, at that moment, another bear made an appearance.

It was huge and menacing. It immediately stood up on its hind legs and bellowed so loud it made the thunderstorm seem quiet and peaceful. Peeta wanted to get up and run. He could hear Katniss screaming for him to move. But he couldn't. He seemed to be frozen in place. He closed his eyes and held his breath, and the next thing he felt was mind-numbing pain as he was thrown against the cave wall.

His back stung and throbbed and his head pounded. He felt as if every bone in his body had been broken. He couldn't have moved even if he wanted to. He heard Katniss scream, but it seemed muffled and distant. He opened his eyes for a moment, but his vision was red and blurry and it hurt to keep them open, so he closed them again.

Another deafening growl and he was tossed again. Then he was dragged. He heard his leg being crushed – it sounded like rice cereal when milk is poured into it. He heard loud screams echoing in his ears… and then he realized it was himself.

Suddenly, he felt like he was both freezing and on fire.

And then, all at once, he fell silent. A feeling of tranquility and acceptance came over him. He didn't feel anything now. He didn't hear anything. He was numb.

Peeta was sure he was dying and he didn't care one bit. He just wanted to sleep, and so he did.

With an excruciating breath, he came to only a few seconds later, however, and the first thing he heard was Katniss frantically screaming his name.

He opened his eyes and saw the blurry outline of Katniss shooting her bow outside the entrance of the cave. The bear roared and began charging after her.

"Katniss… run…," Peeta hollered weakly, but his voice was only air.

And then, once again, he lost consciousness.


End file.
